Well, at least one magazine editor has the future in focus.
Here at The Awesome Blog, we’ve dedicated a handful of posts to the future of print, and cautioned that embedding videos in print will probably kill, rather than save, the medium. In so many words, we suggested that magazines need to instead consider how to embed themselves in these emerging multimedia, web-enabled technologies.
The video above is exactly what we had in mind.
The demo shows a hypothetical Sports Illustrated issue of the future, consumed on a tablet computer. There are a number of obvious advantages: linking images to streaming video, integrating live score updates, and allowing for customization by the user’s interests.
But, since we’re marketers, let’s focus on the ads (shown briefly beginning at the 1:58 mark). Here, we see a traditional print ad spruced up with an embedded video, which is a step in the right direction. Brands obviously need to start thinking about what video content would augment their current print executions. Still, the ceiling for this kind of interactive medium is so much higher. We’ll see live quizzes, games, sweepstakes, and various promotions tied into formerly static print ads. Brands will offer to unlock additional, exclusive content to users who are willing to share their email address / Facebook profile / Twitter username with the brand (perhaps tied to the fantasy sports info, shown at the 2:13 mark?). And that’s just the beginning.
Of course, this is all speculative and future-facing. But you do know it’s just around the corner, right? We’ll almost certainly see some early adopters consuming “magazines” this way within the next 12 months. Is your brand ready?
Thanks to Nicholas Evans for the tip!
